Something you don't want to see everyday
 

Wasn't sure if I wanted to post about this...

I had just finished getting my Cobra engine bay paint touched up and a few other odd jobs sorted.

I was driving back home in the daily driver along a back street in an industrial estate on northern Gold Coast this morning. Thinking about all the things I had to do that day.

In the distance I saw a green Cobra turn out of a driveway of a tyre shop and head towards me. Hmm Cobra. Noisy as all buggery. I could see it start to slide sideways as it struggled for traction in what must have been 2nd gear, so it was moving at a fair rate of knots.

All of a sudden it speared off sideways towards the footpath, narrowly missing a couple of parked cars and straight into a chain wire fence...which spun it around with all sort of debris exploding into the air and the noise.

I pulled over in disbelief.

Two relatively young kids got out, no injury's thank god. (It was his older brothers car)

Fairly substantial front end damage up to the start of the bonnet. Fairly substantial drivers guard damage, wheel, suspension damage. Rear lights, bumper etc all ripped off. Paint & minor body damage all around rear and rear guards.

I told them I was a fellow Cobra owner and it was going to be ok. They can be repaired.

I stood back and looked at what was once I nice old Pre-1995 narrow body DRB. A very close shade of green to British Racing green, Convo Pro wheels, grey modern interior. All looking decidely the worse for wear now.

Very quickly there was a huge crowd of lookers and lots of wise comments.

I hung around till everything was sorted and the kids were in good hands.

It still hasn't sunk in what happened. What are the odds of that happening in front of you.

The kid claimed it was a mechanical failure...maybe...maybe not.

A lesson for us all, these cars can bite. It could have been a lot, lot worse. Even for me if I had been a few seconds earlier.

(Also didn't sound like it was insured...What The?)

I drove back past this afternoon and the fence was already being repaired, little remained of what had happened.

Sh%t Craig - not good.

Are you sure it was whose car they said it was?

Why were they hooning in a built up area in a COBRA of all things.

Thankfully no injuries, but bloody hell!!

And THAT is why my kids do NOT drive my car (previous post about letting your kids drive)

Craig, sounds like it was just like this cobra accident.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=QpLqCxa4ee0

I have 2,000 miles on my car and its that very video (ive watched it many times) that has kept me off the pedal. The car fish tailed with out warning quickly in the wrong direction!

I still have extreme tentativeness and respect for my 550 hp beast. Until I get it on a track or other safe environment I will not test the car's limits.

If you dont respect it.....YOU WILL.

CBattaglia I think you said it best.

In my opinion the best way to really gain “respect” for these cars is to get on the track at speed. The car will humble you real quick and make you a much better driver! I really had some respect of the car for the car’s abilities once I made some mistakes on the track. If I had made the same mistakes on the street I may also be on YouTube.

I have understanding in the fact.........that you can throw out ALL the rules of normal automobile performance and expected reactions to a car's actions!! I tell the new, or soon to be, new owners of these cars......................"just remember........you think you know speed, you think you understand how to..........and you think you are experienced in being a 'driver of fast cars'...............well, you are now entering the 'twilight zone' on that issue........and it doen't have any bearing on what you know of the past!!! It is now........COBRA TIME.......and everything you once knew......can be thrown out the window and PLEASE..........just start over!!!
I have a 550 hp and same torque FFR.....highly developed, and set up with everything to make it safe, comfortable, and of course.......FASTER THAT HELL........and I absolutely fear the car........which keeps me sane........logical, and best of all.......a much, much better driver in any car I drive!! To do anything other than respect this danger is absolutely foolish......and we have that choice each and every time we turn that little shiny key....get ignition..and get ready for takeoff! I love my Cobra.....and look forward to driving it everytime I can.....but never do I forget the stories like posted here........so many 'want to be racers' just don't GET WHAT THIS LITTLE GUY is all about!
Glad to see no one injured......and they will live to talk about it another day.........heck.....maybe they even learned something.....something THEY can pass on to the 'next do do that thinks he is bullet proof!
fred z :rolleyes: :cool:

PS....also because of all the recent issues with street drags ..and people getting hurt, and worse.....this is the time we should show the rest of the 'speedies'...how to keep it nice and controlled in areas of congestion and people .........just makes us a bit better in the eyes of the uninformed. IMO

I think mechanical error was the hard wire between the brain, and the throttle foot!

I have only driven my car for about 43 miles so far. Every time I think about driving it or starting the car I get a very anxious , nervous, uneasy feeling in my gut. I hope to hell that feeling never goes away!

Yep, very similiar. Although the Cobra seemed to spear off a lot faster than that. It's hard to say as it happened so fast and I wasn't anywhere near ready for it.

I keep thinking how glad I am for not getting collected in the process.

Yep, I can relate to that. At the very least, get some insurance cause these cats are bad...

Sloth

What did you hit??

Looked at your gallery, what did you use in your floor upholstery exercise? Send me a PM if you like as I'm chasing ideas on what to do at the moment.

Cheers

In today's paper
 

Hasn't anybody got any frikkin brains?? Where are the parents?
One of these kids is a doctor's kid, I think.
Two teens remain in ICU after weekend accident


Click-2-Listen
Tuesday, November 06, 2007

By Erin Quinn

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Two Midway High School students remain in the intensive care unit at Scott & White hospital in Temple today following a weekend accident on Ritchie Road in West Waco.

Bren Nedbalek, 16, of Hewitt, and Casey Isenberg, 14, of Waco, were among seven occupants of 1986 Toyota pickup that crashed just after 3 a.m. Saturday in the 2500 block of Ritchie Road after the driver, Jacob Kieran, 17, of Woodway, lost control of the vehicle.

Kieran was charged with not having proof of liability insurance, failure to control speed and operating a vehicle with passengers who are under age 18 in the open bed of a pickup.

Waco police responded to the accident call at 3:13 a.m., and four ambulances from ETMC arrived about 3:25 a.m.

According to the accident report, Kieran’s truck was traveling north in the 2500 block of Ritchie Road when it began sliding and he lost control of the vehicle. The truck went off the road and rolled.

All seven of the truck’s occupants were taken to local hospitals.

Also in the truck were Aaron Cooper, 17, of Hewitt; Damien McMichael, 15, of Hewitt; Matthew Crisman, 15, of Hewitt; and Kenneth Cummings, 14, of Woodway.

Additional details will be posted

I remember feeling invincible in my youth, things don't change it seems. Our papers are full of under 25's involved in all sorts of mayhem.

Statistics don't lie, that's why the insurance companies put such a bounty on 18 - 25 yo driver's premiums, and I'd put money on it that it's no different in any other country.

Just the lucky ones like myself that avoided seriously overdoing it I guess.

Craig,

I heard yesterday that the local police are looking for the kids and also the owner of the fence wants them as well!

Merv

I saw a fork lift that afternoon pulling the fence straight.

I actually thought someone there got their details for fence damage etc.

They didn't have personalised plates, so no chance of me remembering the plate number.

I certainly don't have much info I can help with, I don't even remember their first names now.

I remember my Mum (Mom) telling me that by the time I was 21 I would know someone who died from road trauma. She was unfortunately right.

wow folks,
By no means am I a lead foot, but the more and more I read and learn about my soon to be finished snake it scares me. Is this a normal feeling, and how out of control can they surprise you? is it a traction issue that lets go at a massive acceleration take off.....what is the reason they go fish tails on most of these issues?? I do not want to wreck her or me by accident. I can tell you for sure it wouldn't be delinquent.

Venamm, easy answer?? The Drivers right foot! Simple!

or

Enthusiasm outweighing ability.... Same thing really!

SpookypT

Understood...
So I should be fine..(now putting away my will and life insurance policy, was re-writing both)

Venamm: Fishtailing occurs when both rear wheels loose traction under hard acceleration (with a limited slip or locked rear end). If you back off on the throttle a tad, the tires will gain traction, hopefully when you are pointed in the right direction. Squeezing the throttle instead of mashing it to the floor is a good idea with these light, often overpowered beasts. Ain't they fun? :p Rich